Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
What is something for you that is a physical, tangible treasure? Something that you would protect, something you have taken safeguards to make sure it's protected from the elements or from theft or something else? There is a movie actually made about the protection of the Declaration of Independence. I just want to read some of the things that they do to protect the Declaration of Independence. Of course, it's one copy. That's the official copy.
Protecting the Declaration of Independence
First, they have case security. The document's sealed in a state-of-the-art, gold-plated, titanium frame. It rests in an upright case constructed of bulletproof glass and plastic laminate. The surveillance, the rotunda where it stays, is under 24-hour surveillance by armed security guards and a sophisticated computer system that monitors the document's condition. For nighttime protection—every night, the case is lowered roughly 22 feet into an underground 50-ton, shockproof and blast-resistant vault. Talk about protection. Of course, photography is banned because it could affect the document as well.
So much security is going into the protection of this one document considered a treasure. That's why the movie was made called National Treasure. Well, when you think about that kind of security to protect something that we consider a treasure—of course, something that's everyday, commonplace, well, you wouldn't first of all, probably call it a treasure, and you definitely wouldn't go doing some security measures that are crazy to make sure it's protected.
Our Verse of the Day
I'd love to use that lens when we look at our Verse of the Day, and I think you'll understand when you hear what the verse says. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7 says, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."
Okay, so in the context of what we're just talking about, of this great treasure, the Declaration of Independence and all of the expense and protection that goes into it, and you have the reference of this light that shines in us. The encasement for that is not bulletproof glass. It actually refers to it as that we ourselves are like fragile clay jars protecting—encompassing—this great treasure of the light.
What Is the Light?
What is the light? The verse right before it says this: "For God, who said, 'Let there be light in the darkness,' has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." That's the light we're talking about. That's the treasure we're talking about. When it talks about that, it's encased not in all of these protective layers. It's encased in this fragile clay jar. That's our vessel. Now, why is this important to our everyday life and practical living today?
Meant to Be Shared
The amazing thing about the protection of the Declaration of Independence, just like other major treasures that we want to protect and guard and safeguard, is it's to be seen through something while it's being protected. This treasure of the light of Jesus that has been given to us, that we are actually this embodiment of and encasement of this wonderful treasure that we've been given, of our fragile jars of who we are—it's meant to be unlike the Declaration of Independence. It's actually meant to be shared. It's actually meant to shine, shine to other people around us and shared as this treasure for others to experience and tangibly hold.
It's not something that's behind protective glass to keep away from, to admire. It's something to shine and experience. I would just encourage you, especially as it talks about the last part of this verse, that it says, "This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."
Are They Experiencing Jesus?
What a great thing for the world around us to be able to experience, whether it's our children in our home, or our spouse, or our coworkers, or our friends or family, or those that we come across in the store. I have to ask myself that all the time: Are they experiencing David? Are they experiencing this fragile jar, this fragile vessel? Or when the vessel cracks or breaks because it's fragile, is the light of Jesus that's within me shining out?
That it's that great treasure that other people can not just view from a distance and not have to experience—a tangible authenticity of it—but they can experience the light of Jesus shining through you. There is great power in that. When people experience David, there's no power in me. I'm just a fragile vessel like the verse says. May you be able to remember the value and the treasure of the light of Jesus inside of you. May it shine for others. It's not this protective thing that you're keeping to yourself, but it's something that you can shine to others even when you're broken, that the light of Jesus will shine through it so that other people can tangibly experience the authenticity of Jesus in you as He shines through you to those around you. May you experience that today.
